


Canonical Polyamory in “Black Sails”

by larenoz



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Meta, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-12-18 07:49:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18245528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larenoz/pseuds/larenoz
Summary: Some thoughts on the depiction of polyamory in Black Sails (up to end of Season 2).





	Canonical Polyamory in “Black Sails”

**Author's Note:**

> This was written very quickly for posting on a discussion site, so it isn't particularly in depth. As such when I have time I may return to it to make some additions. It only covers until the end of Season 2.

The first season is pretty much focused on setting up characters and lots of pirate stuff, with the three main sets of romantic relationships being introduced. However, Season 2 sees those relationships being explored in more depth and in the case of two of them, expanding. So that at the half way point of Season 2, two of the three romantic story lines in the show are about poly triads.

The first is between Rackham, Anne and Max (female). Rackham and Ann are a long established pirate couple. At the beginning of Season 2, Anne acts on her attraction to prostitute Max. Initially, Rackham isn’t involved but this changes and eventually the three are together sexually. We see this relationship develop in real time and things aren’t all smooth sailing. Rackham is worried that he is loosing Anne, someone who he has been with for the majority of their lives. But he offers her the freedom to explore the new relationship with Max. Eventually, Anne invites both Max and Rackham to her bed. While they both accept, initially they aren’t involved with each other, only with Anne but when they do start to develop their relationship physically, Anne then feels threatened. This is further exacerbated when pirate politics forces Rackham to choose Max over Anne.

The second triad is between main characters Captain Flint, Miranda Barlow and the previously unseen Thomas Hamilton. This relationship is revealed via flashbacks. From the beginning of the show, we are aware of the deep relationship between Flint and Miranda. We are also aware that the two share a strong connection forged in the past, the details of which we don’t know. Season 2 starts to fill in the blanks about both Flints past (about how/why he became a pirate) and the truth of his relationship with Miranda. We find out that Miranda Barlow is in fact the wife of Thomas Hamilton, son of Lord Hamilton, all of whom move in the top most circles of political and social power in England. 

Thomas and Miranda are involved in the salon movement of the Enlightenment, drawing the socially inferior Flint into their inner circle. And eventually into their beds. Flint is involved sexually and romantically with both Thomas and Miranda, but with hints that Miranda and Thomas’ relationship isn’t sexual or not as sexually focused as that between Flint and Thomas, but that’s just a guess at this stage. The nature of the relationship between Miranda and Flint during their time in England is not detailed but they do appear to have a sexual relationship later while on Nassau.

The third relationship depicted is between pirate Charles Vane and Eleanor Guthrie, who acts as middleman between the Pirates and legitimate merchants on the island of Nassau. This is the most volatile relationship in the show, being on-again, off-again. This is the second relationship that Eleanor is depicted as having on the show. The first one is with Max, and therefore established Eleanor canonically bisexual.

So, why do I call this a poly-positive show? It doesn’t play any of these relationships for cheap laughs or titillation. All the people and relationships are shown as complicated, evolving and meaningful to those involved. They are explored by showing how each of the characters struggles with their feelings and how their decisions on how to pursue these feelings impact on their lives - sometimes with dramatic and tragic results.

Another interesting thing is that it shows these poly relationships developing at completely opposite ends of the social, political, and economic spectrum - the top and bottom (or even outside) of English society. The relationships are undertaken by those with everything to loose (Flint and the Hamiltons') and those with nothing to loose (socially - Rackham and Anne). They portray the characters as flawed, insecure, selfish, loving and many other things, in other words, real people, not stereotypes.

Another positive, the poly relationships are central to the story line but they aren’t exploitative. They are key to what happens to the characters but aren’t highlighted in a finger pointing way or negative way. Bad things happen to the characters, and sometimes their relationships are part of the cause for their misfortune, but never the only cause and often only an excuse to further the political or financial gains of their enemies.

So, I’m really hoping the show continues in its current vain because while it won’t win any Oscars, it’s a good bit of fun (mostly, it does take the odd dark turn now and then) and it’s one of the few shows with any sort of poly relationship depicted and part of the even smaller group that shows them in a positive way.


End file.
